For this year’s Wild team, home ice advantage isn’t just a saying you’ll hear on their TV commercials, it’s really happening.
The first two games they played at Xcel Energy Center this year were shutouts, and on Saturday they killed Tampa Bay by a score of 7-2. There’s no question the Wild seem to do better in St. Paul where they’ve got 18,000 screaming fans in their corner.

The Minnesota Wild have brought back another former player for a job in the organization, hiring Richard Park as a player development coach. The appointment was announced Tuesday for Park, whose responsibilities will include working with players with the affiliate Iowa Wild in the AHL.

WOW! That is the only word I have to describe how the Wild pulled off two shutouts in a row against the Colorado Avalanche — a team that won the Central Division last year, a team we faced in the first round of the playoffs, a team we had to battle to beat in game 7 at their rink in overtime! To say I’m impressed with how this year’s Wild team has started the season would be the understatement of the year.

The Wild’s post-season ended on May13 after a crazy overtime bounce in game six with Chicago. That’s where they would love to pick it up this year with some new pieces added to a team with high expectations.

When we last saw the Minnesota Wild they were skating off the ice stunned after losing in overtime to Chicago 2-1 as the Blackhawks took the series in six games. While the sudden impact of the season being over may have hurt initially, fans could take solace in knowing that the Wild had their best playoff showing since their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2003.

The Minnesota Wild have reduced their training camp roster to 27 players, with the start of the season less than a week away. The Wild assigned seven players Friday to their AHL affiliate: defensemen Jonathan Blum, Justin Falk and Gustav Olofsson and forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen, Zack Phillips and Joel Rechlicz. They placed forwards Curt Gogol and Brett Sutter on waivers and will assign them to Iowa if they clear.

The Minnesota Wild have claimed defenseman Nate Prosser off waivers from St. Louis. The Wild announced the move Thursday. Prosser became a free agent last summer and signed with St. Louis, only to be waived by the Blues this week.

The Minnesota Wild have started the season with the same big question as they finished the last one with: Who can they count on in the net? Training camp began Friday with more goalie clarity than earlier in the week, at least.

Darcy Kuemper is on his way back to Minnesota to try to save the Wild’s muddled goaltending situation. Kuemper ended a summer-long stalemate with the Wild when he signed a two-year contract on Thursday night, one day after starting goalie Josh Harding was ruled out indefinitely with a broken right foot.

The Minnesota Wild have signed right wing Nino Niederreiter to a three-year contract. The Wild announced the deal Thursday. Minnesota had been negotiating with Niederreiter all summer and time was running short with training camp set to begin next week.

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Justin Falk to a one-year, two-way contract. Under the deal announced Friday, Falk will be paid his NHL salary only if he is on the NHL roster. If he is sent to the AHL, he will get a minor-league salary.

The Minnesota Wild have agreed to terms with goaltender John Curry on a one-year, two-way contract. Under the deal announced Thursday, Curry will be paid his NHL salary only if he is on the NHL roster. If he is sent to the AHL, he will get a minor-league salary.

The Minnesota Wild have signed forward Cody Almond to a one-year contract. Almond scored 18 goals and had 16 assists in 44 games with Geneve-Servette in the Swiss League in 2013-14. Almond also scored eight goals and had 22 assists in 39 games with Geneve-Servette in 2012-13.

An NHL star was among those moved last month by the heroism of 10-year-old Nino Johnson, of Maplewood, who saved his grandfather, Pino Lipari, from drowning. Lipari was in his backyard pool playing ball with his grandson, when the ball drifted into the deep end. Lipari is not a strong swimmer, but tried to retrieve the ball anyway.

The 2014 NHL Draft has come and gone and the next generation of Minnesota Wild players have been chosen. My previous blog went into detail about 1st round pick Alex Tuch. Here is what you need to know about the other players drafted by Minnesota.

The best way to describe the 2014 NHL Draft is forward heavy. If you need a center or a wing there is a good chance you can get one in this draft. That’s exactly what the Minnesota Wild did Friday night as they selected Alex Tuch with the 18th pick overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. Otherwise it was a pretty quiet night for Minnesota.